Significance of downregulation of liver fatty acid-binding protein in hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 4 Relation between liver fatty acid-binding protein expression and pathological features n (%)

Characteristics	Tumor size ≤2 cm		P value	Tumor size > 2 cm		P value	Total		P value
	L-FABP negative n = 11	L-FABP positive n = 74		L-FABP negative n = 5	L-FABP positive n = 56		L-FABP negative n = 16	L-FABP positive n = 130
Tumor size (mm)	16.0 ± 2.1	15.8 ± 3.3	0.566	45.4 ± 29.5	43.3 ± 33.6	0.931	25.2 ± 20.8	27.6 ± 26.0	0.652
Differentiation			0.032a			0.766			0.110
Well	0 (0.0)	26 (35.1)		0 (0.0)	7 (12.5)		0 (0.0)	33 (25.4)
Moderate	10 (90.9)	43 (58.1)		4 (80.0)	36 (64.3)		14 (87.5)	79 (60.8)
Poor	1 (9.1)	5 (6.8)		1 (20.0)	13 (23.2)		2 (12.5)	18 (13.8)
Pseudoglandular pattern			0.478			0.218			0.461
Absent	8 (72.7)	49 (66.2)		2 (40.0)	38 (67.9)		10 (62.5)	87 (66.9)
Present	3 (27.3)	25 (33.8)		3 (60.0)	18 (32.1)		6 (37.5)	43 (33.1)
Nuclear grade			0.299			0.641			0.424
Low	8 (72.7)	62 (83.8)		4 (80.0)	42 (75.0)		12 (75.0)	104 (80.0)
High	3 (27.3)	12 (16.2)		1 (20.0)	14 (25.0)		4 (25.0)	26 (20.0)
Fatty change			0.659			0.436			0.458
Absent	9 (81.8)	60 (81.1)		5 (100.0)	47 (83.9)		14 (87.5)	107 (82.3)
Present	2 (18.2)	14 (18.9)		0 (0.0)	9 (16.1)		2 (12.5)	23 (17.7)
Inflammation			0.009b			0.660			0.039a
Absent	9 (81.8)	29 (39.2)		3 (60.0)	34 (60.7)		12 (75.0)	63 (48.5)
Present	2 (18.2)	45 (60.8)		2 (40.0)	22 (39.3)		4 (25.0)	67 (51.5)
Fibrosis			0.160			0.466			0.105
Absent	10 (90.9)	53 (71.6)		4 (80.0)	37 (66.1)		14 (87.5)	90 (69.2)
Present	1 (9.1)	21 (28.4)		1 (20.0)	19 (33.9)		2 (12.5)	40 (30.8)
Cholestasis			0.224			0.369			0.120
Absent	9 (81.8)	48 (64.9)		4 (80.0)	34 (60.7)		13 (81.3)	82 (63.1)
Present	2 (18.2)	26 (35.1)		1 (20.0)	22 (39.3)		3 (18.7)	48 (36.9)
Tumor stage			0.833			0.789			0.646
1	8 (72.7)	56 (75.7)		0 (0.0)	1 (1.8)		8 (50.0)	57 (43.8)
2	3 (27.3)	18 (24.3)		3 (60.0)	37 (66.1)		6 (37.5)	55 (42.3)
3	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)		2 (40.0)	14 (25.0)		2 (12.5)	14 (10.8)
4	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)	4 (7.1)		0 (0.0)	4 (3.1)
Background liver tissue			0.649			0.394			0.301
Normal	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)	4 (7.7)		0 (0.0)	4 (3.2)
CH	3 (27.3)	25 (34.2)		2 (40.0)	26 (50.0)		5 (31.3)	51 (40.8)
LC	8 (72.7)	48 (65.8)		3 (60.0)	22 (42.3)		11 (68.7)	70 (56.0)

^aP < 0.05, L-FABP-negative small HCCs vs L-FABP-positive small HCCs;

^bP < 0.01, L-FABP-negative cases vs in L-FABP-positive cases. Background liver tissue could not be evaluated in five cases. L-FABP: Liver fatty acid-binding protein; CH: Chronic hepatitis; LC: Liver cirrhosis.